Personal Account of Hiking and Biking
The outdoors business probably began around 1964, when my grandfather, George Arthur Truesdell, took me up Taquitz Peak via Devil's Slide trail. Grandad went up that peak more than 50 times, often, carrying the mail to the well known lookout man, Jess Southwell. Jess now has a peak in the San Jacinto's named after him. Grandad also sent me to summer camp at Pine Springs, where I took the campcraft honor, and I remember hiking up to Skunk Cabbage meadows then.
Later, around 1971 in 11th grade, I got interested in rock climbing, and went to that with a vengence. We climbed mostly around Joshua Tree and even did a 1st ascent there called: Iron Man's Traverse. The best was, of course, Yosemite, where the NW and SW face of Half Dome was climbed. On March 18, 1972, we did the Lost Arrow Spire with a tyrolean traverse.
College years from 1972-1976 were great. We had a group that would find something to do every weekend, mostly climbing at Joshua Tree or hiking in the San Jacintos. Somewhere in there, got introduced to bicycle racing, and my first disaster race was July 4, 1973, down in Rancho California. Thus began a long 30+ year career with almost every weekend racing. Got up to Category 2, and got 4 bronze medals in the California State champs in 1994 on the track.
After all that, work and other stuff got in the way, but now am realizing that the mountains are calling again, and I must go. In the past few years, have been to Nepal and Tibet for some great trips and Mt. Everest Base Camp, both North and South. Recently learned about the Sierra Club 'Peak List'. While I am not into just bagging peaks, their list and organization of the peaks, is kinda fun.
